Maple Heights City School District outlines preschool, kindergarten enrollment, tuition and timelines at March webinar

Olympia Dela Flora, superintendent of Maple Heights City School District, and school leaders on March 12 held a webinar for families of Abraham Lincoln Elementary School to explain preschool and kindergarten registration, curriculum changes, schedules and supports ahead of a March 19 March-into-Preschool-and-Kindergarten event.

The district urged families to complete a preschool interest form by April 1 and said it will run a lottery on April 2 only if demand exceeds available full-day preschool slots. “If we have enough spaces, we will take everybody,” said Dr. Shay Price, director of curriculum and instruction, who spoke about the lottery and registration steps. Price and other speakers said the district will work with families to accept county vouchers and the early childhood grant; the district set a maximum tuition of $650 per month for full-day preschool and described that fee as income-based and subject to vouchers and grants.

The announcement included practical details families said they should know now: enrollment uses the FinalForms online system; required documents (birth certificate, parent ID, proof of residency) should be brought to the March 19 event if possible; proof-of-residency documents must be recent (district staff said many documents must be within 30–45 days); and current preschool students in good standing will be grandfathered into preschool next year rather than entering the lottery.

Why it matters: enrollment timing, tuition and voucher acceptance determine whether children get seats in full-day preschool programs and ensure districts meet state requirements for kindergarten attendance and readiness. The district also signaled classroom and curricular changes that affect incoming families.

District leaders discussed curriculum and daily routines. Dr. Shay Price said the district is adopting a new math program, “amplified Desmos,” and continuing Amplify Core Knowledge (CKLA) for English/language arts, with CKLA expanding into preschool next year. Dawn Beth Stetter, principal of Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, described the school day and routines: “Our school day officially starts at 9:10 a.m., and it ends at 4:00 p.m. … kindergarten and first grade students arrive at 8:40 a.m.,” and she explained that kindergarteners eat breakfast in class and that the school dismisses most students by about 4:15 p.m.

Leaders emphasized attendance and developmental benefits. Superintendent Olympia Dela Flora summarized the district’s position: early childhood programs support academic, social and motor-skill development and reduce later learning gaps. “There are lots of things, benefits to early childhood education,” she said, listing academic preparation, social interactions and developmental milestones as reasons to enroll children in preschool or kindergarten when eligible.

Age and testing rules: the district reiterated state age cutoffs for kindergarten: a child must be 5 years old by Sept. 30 to enter kindergarten without additional screening. District staff said an early-entry screening is available for children with birthdays close to the cutoff. For full-day preschool the district said a child must be 4 years old to enroll (exceptions apply for children with disabilities or an Individualized Education Program). Staff also explained that preschool children moving into kindergarten will receive a new school-age IEP when appropriate.

Other family information: the district invited families to the March 19 in-person event at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for tours, activities and on-site help with FinalForms registration. Staff said they can scan or copy documents at that event and that families who register that night may be eligible for small incentives the school will provide. The district said it currently is not accepting new latchkey program enrollments but is working to provide alternative before/after-care options.

The webinar concluded with a Q&A in which staff clarified: current preschoolers in good standing will roll over into next year’s preschool; vouchers already received by families can be transferred to Maple Heights; kindergarten is free; and the $650 preschool fee is the monthly maximum and will not exceed that amount. Leaders encouraged families with questions about eligibility, the early-entry test or documentation to call the district or attend the March 19 event.

Looking ahead: families the district cannot place immediately will be placed on a waiting list and notified after the lottery or registration review. The district said it will publish final preschool eligibility and any preschool-specific age cutoffs on its website when registration opens.